Get to know a Buyer's Agent Realtor® you feel you can trust.  As a Professional Realtor®, experienced in both new construction and resale homes, I can advise you on:

• the merits of buying a new versus an existing home
• various builder's strengths and weaknesses
• how certain home upgrades affect future home value
• the most economical way to finance your home

I'll help you through the many steps to closing without undue stress.  Don't be misled.  An experienced Realtor will save you time, money and grief.

If you'd like more information on the role of a Buyer's Agent, you may wish to review my description of the Role of a Buyer's Agent.

Sarasota has always been an "in demand" real estate market.  Property prices here, while depressed from a while ago, have begun going back up again.  Properties you see now probably will not be available at these price levels much longer.  If you want a home in Sarasota Florida, you should buy NOW before prices go back up.  You may wish to read a recent blog article discussing the fact that Southwest Florida is Getting Back on Its Feet

Knowing how much to offer is one of the most difficult parts of buying a home.  I will prepare a list of recently sold properties of comparable size, location and amenities so you can compare the selling price of those with the price of the home you want.  Then you'll know whether this property is realistically priced.

If a property has been on the Sarasota Florida real estate market for a while, the owner may accept a below-market offer.  But, if the property is very desirable and other buyers are interested in it too, the seller may just reject your offer wasting everyone's time.  I can give you good advice on the right price to offer.

Don't assume your credit is spotless. Ask your lender to pull your credit report. It may contain errors or old unpaid debts you've forgotten. Get errors and omissions fixed right away. Under Helpful Real Estate Info" there is info on how to check and correct your FICO credit score.

Shop for a lender before you shop for a home. The best way to know how much home you can afford is to get pre-qualified (preferably pre-approved). Pre-approval can be powerful leverage during price negotiation. Ask to "lock-in" an interest rate without a charge. Then, if rates go up, you'll keep the "locked" rate.

Between pre-qualification and closing, consult your lender before any major purchases.  Your mortgage provider is going to check your "debt-to-income" ratio.  That is the percentage of your gross monthly income (before taxes) that you spend on debt of all kinds, including the monthly cost of owning the home you want, including principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and homeowner’s association fees, if any.  It also includes all of your monthly consumer debt, like credit cards, student loans, installment debt, and car payments.

Credit purchases you make right up until closing day, even after you've been pre-approved, affect your final qualification for a mortgage.

Be careful from whom you take advice. Don't count on old Uncle Bob who was a Realtor 20 years ago.  New home builder's salesmen and Realtors representing a seller won't necessarily tell you all you need to know.  Acting as your Buyer's Agent, I'm required by law to tell you everything he or she knows that could affect the value of the home.

On resale homes, always make your purchase offer contingent upon an Inspection by a Professional Home Inspector to uncover any faults in the home.  If this contingency is written into your contract properly, then, the Seller, not you, pays to correct the problems.

Buy a home you can really afford. There are real tax advantages to owning a home.  But, there are also expenses (decorating, lawn care, trash pickup) that you may forget in all the excitement. "Buy a bit less, rather than a bit more than you can afford," is good advice.

For information on my services to Sarasota area home or condo buyers, please either E-Mail Me or use my Request Sarasota Information Form.